Discussion Forums: Health Conditions

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

My health had been ok for most of my life. I was a little over
weight, cholestrol was good, went in for my regular exams, and
thought all was fine. Until 2:30am on 9/5/03. I woke my wife and
told her that it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. We
thought I was having a bad asthma attack. When she got me to the
hospital the ER staff plugged me, took blood, EKG, the whole bit. They gave me some medication and
I felt good. I noticed that my wife kept looking at my heart rate
with a concerned look. I smiled and told her that when it 200 to
sell. She looked down at me and said that it had gone passed 200
some time ago. We were there about 3-4 hours when the ER doctor
came in and said that I was going to be admitted for observation. I
still did not feel that anything major was wrong. Later that
morning I was taken down for an Echogram. Then after lunch they
took me down to the cardiac cath lab for one of the many cardiac
caths I would have in my life. When the doctor finsihed, he came up
to the head of the table, looked down and said that I needed 5 by
passes and walked out of the room. When he went to see my wife he
said that he had good news and bad news. So she asked for the bad
news. He told her that I needed 5 by passes and left the room. As
they were taking me back to my room she asked the nurse what the
good news was. She looked at my wife and said that they could fix
it. When I got back to my room, she left to notify the kids. A bit
later the surgeon came in. He told me that I shouldn’t be there, he
said that I should be dead. One artery was over 98% blocked,
another in the low 90’s and some in the 80’s. He said that I was a
time bomb just waiting to go off. He told me that they did by pass
surgery during the week. However, I couldn’t wait. They were going
to operate at 10am Saturday morning. In a matter of a few hours my
life had been turned upside down. While waiting for my wife to
return I had a lot of time to think and pray. She came back and
spent most of the night. A year or so later my daughter-in-law
asked how I was able to remain so calm? I said that being a
Christian I knew one of two things would happen; God would guide
the hands of the surgeon and I would be fine. Or I would die and go
to heaven. I couldn’t loose. Everybody went to the family waiting
room while I was in surgery. Surgery took a little longer but he
had good news when he came out to talk to my wife. When I saw my
wife, I looked up at her and said that God had come through.

About 18 months later after another cardiac cath, I was told that
four of my five by passes had collapsed. I didn’t know what to say.
It was at this point I was told that I have CAD. I also devloped diabetes. And now cancer. Thank
God for my sense of humor. When I get up in the morning I thank God
for another day. Everyday I live is a gift from God. I try not to
let my health rule my life but at times it can be hard. It was a
cancer patient who told me about ‘Carepages’ and I thank God for it
and you.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

I know that’s a shocker. I was 57,slim, and in seemingly perfect
health in 2005. Just 1 month before my heart incident I had climbed
a 200 ft staircase in a cave in Northern California with no ill
effects. I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up and went
upstairs to get ready for bed, I felt dizzy and was having pain in
both shoulders. Instead of getting ready for bed I got dressed
again, woke up my husband and told him I wanted to go to the
hospital. I never had a chest pain but by the time I got to the
hospital I felt like my shoulders were going to explode off my
body. After morphine and an ekg they decided to do an angeogram. I
was on the table talking to the technician while the doctor was
feeding the catheter into my heart. I complained that my heart was
jumping and the doctor said “Dont worry, I’m doing it” and the next
word I said didn’t seem to match what I had said a second ago. I
asked the Tech what happened and he said ” We lost you there for a
few minutes”. In other words I died on the table and they had to
shock me back! I guess they finished the procedure while I was
gone. Later, when the doctor came into my room he said that if he
had seen that same blockage in any other person he would have
ignored it! I found out that I had a 40% and a 60% blockage in two
minor areas and that he had placed two stents in my arteries. I was
not happy and don’t remember signing anything allowing them to put
anything foreign in my body. After that, I had to begin taking
medication for cholesterol. My liver makes too much. It’s
apparently inherited. Fast forward to May of this year when I was
diagnosed with breast cancer. I am just waiting for the next shoe
to drop.
I’m glad you are still here. It gives me hope. I have to tell you
though, My mother who is now 84 was a candidate for a quad bypass
30 years ago, she refused surgery and has been medicating all these
years. She is the same time bomb that they said you were and has
about the same blockage you had. I thank God though, that
CAD is the only disease she has and has
managed all these years without surgery.
You do need a sense of humor and every day is a gift. I think more
people need to understand that and be grateful. God bless you &
I wish you continued health

`
4 posts

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Posted Oct 10, 2013 2:41am by `

The programs run by the Breast Cancer Society on
Breast Cancer Awareness, medical facilities and home care for
the patients of breast cancer make things easier for the suffering
families. The patients can also seek financial help from the
society to ensure the required medical treatment.

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